I had anterior and posterior spine fusion for Kyphosis aka scheuermann's disease in 1994 or 1995. I am a thin person who has smaller bone structure and at the time was only 15 years old. My doctor used what I *think* were experimental smaller versions of the Harrington rod.

Then I heard from someeone while I worked at a Medical Device CRO that they were not approved or were recalled by the FDA. I am 99% sure I remember him telling my parents that they were experimental and not yet approved by the FDA but surely would be of course. He showed them to me and my parents at my appointment, the normal ones and these new smaller ones. They looked exactly the same except the size was much thinner and lighter. I think the said they weighed about 1 lb. Anyway...

This doctor is also in litigation for implanting devices in patients that were not meeting the criteria but did it anyway and there is news that they were taking money from the company that made them.... Anyways, the point is I am having a lot of pain in my back, skin, nerve and muscle pain, and wondering if these rods were approved by the FDA, what they are called, so I can go to the doc (a different one) and see what I should do now. Anyone hear about this or know where to find this information? It would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Allisen